Across Time
by lilkawa
Summary: Barry is upset and he runs, and ends up in ...Atlantis?
1. Chapter 1

_The Flash_ and _Atlantis_ don't belong to me

**Across Time **

Barry ran.

He knew that running would not stop the hurt nor could it change anything but there was little else he could do so he run. He wished he could outrun his feelings for Iris, better yet that when he stopped running he would find that Iris loved him as much as he loved her. He wished that he had never gone into that coma; that Joe hadn't gotten Eddie as his new partner. That Iris hadn't fallen in love with Eddie and was now moving in with him.

All those were vain wishes he knew but still he couldn't help wishing them but mostly he wished that running would make him feel better; that the running would dull and ease the pain.

He ran until he could no longer see any lights and then it occurred to him that he there were no roads or houses anywhere. Just a huge expanse of dry land.

Barry careened to a stop.

Where was he? He wondered.

000

Jason was angry.

He was hurting and for a micro-second he wished he had never come to Atlantis. That he had never met Ariadne. But even as those thoughts crossed his mind he dismissed them. He hadn't really lived until he came to Atlantis and met Hercules, Pythagoras and Ariadne; he couldn't imagine his life without them.

Still, he was hurting and he felt like his life was over. He knew, realistically, that his chances of being with Ariadne had become infinitesimal since she had become Queen; truthfully she had always sort-of been out of his league, but now she had her people and political alliances to think about.

The thing that was killing him, though, was that she had agreed to marry Telemon. And soon. That guy, Prince though he might be, was a liar and Jason suspected that he was up to something much worse than stealing Ariadne's heart.

Jason begun to walk and soon found himself outside the city; further away from the settlements nearer where

He was walking slowly, praying hard that he would not burst into tears of despair, when a man suddenly appeared infront of him.

000

Barry and Jason stared at each other. Barry looked at the well-built, curly haired young man, wearing some sort of body armour and short trousers, who was standing infront of him. Jason stared at the strangely dressed person infront of him, from what he could see it was a man but the red clothing that was covering even part of his face made it hard to tell.

"Where am I?" Barry asked, removing his hood.

"Atlantis." Jason was puzzled. He had never seen a person dressed like that in his life, except in films, maybe. "Who are you?"

"Atlantis?" Barry asked. "Whoa, Atlantis, as in the mythical lost city; are you serious?"

"Of course I'm serious," Jason answered him.

"How did I get here?" Barry wondered aloud. As far as he knew Atlantis had been lost for years, under water, if it had ever existed, and he didn't of any other place on earth that was called Atlantis.

"Who are you?" Jason asked him again.

"Barry," Barry replied, "Barry Allen."

"I'm Jason." Jason stared at the young man; this Barry Allen was probably from the future as well. "Where are you from?"

"I live Central City, in the States."

"Central City?" Jason asked. "Isn't that a fictitious place?" Jason had been an avid reader of comic books and knew about Metropolis, Gotham, Star City and the other cities the superheroes lived in.

"Isn't Atlantis?"

"You're in Atlantis," Jason reminded Barry.

"How do I know you're not lying to me?" Barry asked him.

"Why would I lie to you?"

Barry couldn't think of a single reason why the stranger would lie to him. Still, it didn't answer the question of how he had gotten there.

"How do you get here?" Jason asked. Had Barry Allen somehow found another portal between the worlds? Was he also meant to save the people?

"I ran."

000


	2. Chapter 2

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000

Jason and Barry made their way back to the city. Jason had managed to get Barry some new clothes so that he wouldn't stand out and Barry was carrying his suit in a satchel.

"You've been here a year?" Barry was shocked. "Don't you miss your home?"

"Atlantis is my home."

"Are you saying that I'm stuck here for good as well?" Barry replied. "Because I must tell you, I don't know how I ended up here but Atlantis is not my home."

"I'll do everything I can to help you get back home," Jason assured him.

Barry really wanted to get back to Central City, back to Iris and Joe but he was always up for an adventure and since he still hadn't figured out a way back home, he was going to enjoy being in Atlantis. He had tried to run away from Atlantis when Jason had explained to him where he was but he had found that he lost his super speed.

He was stuck in Atlantis.

"So, Hercules and Pythagoras? Are they like we read about in the legends?" Barry couldn't wait to meet Jason's housemates.

"Not exactly."

"What? Is Pythagoras not a mathematician, Hercules, not strong?"

"Well," Jason smiled, "I'll let you decide for yourself."

"I still can't believe that you know them," Barry was excited, "I mean, now I'll really be able to see and understand what made Pythagoras come up with his theories."

000

Pythagoras, Hercules and Jason stood in a corner of the room looking at Barry who was walking around the room touching things.

"Who is he again?" Pythagoras whispered.

"Barry. I met him, uhm, in town," Jason told them, "he needed a place to stay."

"And you thought, I know just the place," Hercules complained. "Need I remind you that we barely have enough food to feed us as it is?"

"We have enough food," Pythagoras said. "The real question is can we trust him?"

"Of course we can."

"He seemed so…excitable," Pythagoras told them, "like he has a lot of energy." Barry was practically bouncing about the room.

"He's never been to Atlantis before," Jason said.

"Where is he from?"

"He's…er, lost," Jason replied, "he's looking for his home."

"I see," Hercules looked at Barry, "so he has a home therefore this is temporary, that's good."

"I thought I would get him some food before I took him to the Oracle to get some answers."

"I guess I better talk to him before he thinks we're very unfriendly," Pythagoras told them as he walked towards Barry.

"I can't tell you how excited I am to meet you," Barry shook Pythagoras's hand. "How did you come up the triangle theories?"

"What did Jason tell you about me?"

"Nothing," Barry denied, "I just – don't you like triangles?"

"As a matter of fact I do," Pythagoras said, "but how did you know?"

Barry saw Jason shake his head slightly. "I - I don't know."

"Can't you see the man's tired?" Hercules came to his rescue unwittingly. "And hungry, serve the food."

The four of them sat down to eat.

000

The Oracle stared at Barry. Jason had left him in the temple alone with her. She walked around him trying to understand how this man, his metahuman had left his home and ended up in Atlantis.

"Barry Allen," she told him, "welcome to Atlantis."

"I was hoping for a more profound statement from you," Barry told her. He didn't ask her how she knew his name _and_ that he had been expecting her to tell him how to return to Central City but they both heard the unsaid words.

"You found a temporal rift," the Oracle said. "One that I had not detected myself."

"And?"

She smiled at him. "That's it."

"That can't be it." Barry told her.

"I know what you want Barry Allen."

"Then tell me how to get back home."

"I cannot help you," the Oracle said. "You have to do this on your own."

"I have tried."

"You are using the wrong tools," she told him.

"What do you mean?"

"Barry Allen in order to leave Atlantis you have to use your greatest strength."

"I have already tried to use my speed but I seem to have lost my abilities," Barry was dejected.

"Then maybe it isn't your greatest strength."

Barry stared at the strange woman and waited for her to tell him what his greatest strength was but she smiled instead and touched his shoulders. "Find your strength, Flash, and you'll find your way back home."

000

"Jason?"

Jason had wandered into the gardens while waiting for Barry to come out of the temple.

"Ariadne," Jason looked up and forced a smile at the Queen.

"I saw you walking in the gardens and I decided to join you." At his silence she added quietly, "Unless you don't want me to."

"How could I say no to you?"

"So you're only agreeing to my presence because I am your Queen?" Ariadne was hurt.

"Does Telemon know that you are here?" Jason couldn't help asking her.

"He doesn't dictate my movements," Ariadne replied, "besides we are only betrothed not married."

"I know."

"I know you don't understand," Ariadne told him. "But I have to do what's best for my people."

"And you think marrying Telemon is what's best?" Jason asked him. "What about you? What's best for you?"

"Jason, please."

"Please what, Ariadne?"

"Can't you understand?"

Jason was confused. He hoped that she didn't want him to say that he understood her decision to marry Telemon for the good of Atlantis. He sincerely hoped she didn't expect him to understand _that._

"I love you Jason."

000


	3. Chapter 3

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000

"What's wrong with him?"

Barry and Pythagoras were sitting watching Jason pace around the room. He had been doing it since they'd returned from seeing the Oracle three hours earlier.

"He's in love with Ariadne."

"Ariadne?" Barry was surprised. "But isn't that the Queen?"

"Hence the pacing."

Barry could understand what his new friend was going through; he was in love with someone who didn't feel the same way.

"She's engaged to someone else isn't she? Some Prince?"

Pythagoras had done a lot of talking and Barry was pretty up-to-date with the happenings in Atlantis.

"She chose Telemon," Pythagoras agreed. "Although she loves Jason and he loves her."

"She loves him?"

"Yes, everybody who spends two minutes in their presence can guess their feelings for each other," Pythagoras said.

"So why is she marrying this Telemon?"

"She's the Queen," Pythagoras reminded him. "She has to do what's best for her people and Atlantis."

"What is he going to do?" Barry wondered aloud. Suddenly his problems were miniscule compared to Jason's.

"So, what do you think the Oracle meant?" Pythagoras changed the subject. "What is your strength?"

"I have no idea."

"Any ideas on how you're going to figure it out?" Pythagoras asked.

"No."

"Don't worry, we'll figure it out."

000

The next day the team – Pythagoras, Hercules and Barry, discovered that Jason had signed them up for protection duty. They were to ride with Ariadne and Telemon to Aegena, Telemon's home, for the wedding.

"Why?" Barry couldn't help asking his friends.

"He likes torture," Hercules spoke up. "The boy wants to know for himself that the woman he loves is really getting married to another man."

"He wants to protect Ariadne," Pythagoras said. "Anything could happen to her between here and Aegena especially with Pasiphae on the loose."

"How far away is this Aegena?"

"Three days' ride," Pythagoras replied, "but with a party our size it will probably take longer."

"When you say ride?" Barry asked. "Do you mean like a horse?"

"Of course."

"Great," Barry whispered. "I've never ridden a horse in my life."

000

The journey was slow, Barry fell off his horse thrice until he found his rhythm; Jason was riding as far away as he could from Ariadne and Telemon who were riding side by side.

"He's a stronger person than I am," Barry observed. "I don't think I could do this if I were in his shoes."

Before Pythagoras could reply an arrow hit the ground near them.

"We're under attack!"

They quickly regrouped and started fighting against their attackers. Jason, Hercules and Dion, the Queen's man, were at the front leading the other fighters while Pythagoras and Barry were ordered to take care of the Queen.

"Where's Telemon?"

Pythagoras looked around the cave in which they were hiding. "I don't know, I haven't seen him since the fighting began."

"Don't tell me you suspect him of doing this?" Barry asked him.

"His disappearance is a bit convenient, don't you think?"

"Maybe he was hit," Barry insisted. "You can't be sure he wasn't hit."

"It doesn't matter now, though, does it?" Pythagoras said. "We're definitely outnumbered."

Ariadne had been standing in a corner quietly but now she walked towards them, "I'm not going to die in here like a coward. I'm going to fight."

"You can't." Pythagoras protested.

"I won't any more people die for me. It's obvious what Pasiphae wants; me dead and Atlantis for herself."

Before Barry and Pythagoras could say anything Ariadne was outside the cave. She picked up a bow and arrows and started shooting.

"She's pretty good," Barry was amazed.

"She's a Queen," Pythagoras told him, as if that explained everything, although he was also surprised by her skill.

Barry and Pythagoras also joined the fighting; they were using short swords and were fighting the men who had fallen off their horses.

Telemon was hiding behind some rocks watching the fighting.

When he'd first agreed to help Pasiphae take over Atlantis, he had had only her word that Ariadne was an unfit Queen; but since meeting her, Telemon had had a change of heart about her. She was kind and cared a great deal for her lands and her people, her beauty and intelligence didn't hurt either. Honestly, he didn't think he had the stomach to kill her, 'I should her killed her in her sleep,' he thought to himself, and he'd had opportunity enough, but Pasiphae had thought that dying in battle was a more fitting end for Minos's daughter.

As he watched he saw that Jason and Ariadne were fighting side by side. They were obviously drawn to each other but there was something about Jason that puzzled Telemon; something he couldn't put his finger on. What was more puzzling was the fact that Pasiphae had ordered him no less than ten times to ensure that no harm came to Jason. What was it about that young man?

He had a clear line of sight at Ariadne and if he pulled out his crossbow he was sure that he could end her life with one shot but he found himself reluctant to do so.

He couldn't kill Ariadne.

He saw Medea aiming for her and decided he couldn't let her kill Ariadne either and he attacked her. Medea was stronger than he'd expected and she soon had him on his back. "Don't worry; I'll make it quick," she told him, "your betrothed won't suffer long." She had wounded him and he couldn't walk so he watched in dismay as Medea made her way to Ariadne.

Ariadne and Jason were fighting off the seemingly endless army and he could see that Ariadne had run out of arrows. She ran over to pull out some arrows from people she'd shot earlier and that was when Medea made her move.

Barry thrust his sword into a man's side and then pulled it out. The man fell down wounded and Barry turned to fight off another man who'd charged towards him and that was when he saw Medea aim for Ariadne. Without thinking about it, Barry jumped infront of her.

Medea's blade cut his stomach, spilling blood everywhere, and he fell to the ground feeling his life drain from him.

000


	4. Chapter 4

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"Welcome back, Mr. Allen."

Barry woke up to the sound of Dr. Wells' voice. He tried to sit up but Dr. Wells didn't let him.

"What happened?" Barry asked looking around. "How did I get here?"

Dr. Wells smiled at him. "We were hoping you would tell us."

Barry looked at Cisco and Caitlin who were standing over him as well, looking very worried.

"I uhm, ran," Barry told them, "and you'll never guessed where I ended up."

Before Cisco could begin listing possible places that Barry could have ended up in, Harrison Wells spoke, "could I have a word with Barry in private?"

Cisco and Caitlin nodded and walked out of the room.

"So where did you go?" Harrison asked him.

"I was in Atlantis."

"The mythical city?"

"You don't sound surprised," Barry told him.

"I can't say that I am," Harrison replied, "but like I've told you before, we don't even know the full extent of your powers so it's not outside the realm of reality that you could travel back in time to a city that we've only ever heard of in stories."

"Yeah," Barry nodded, "but this huge. I was there for a days, maybe even more than a week."

"I see." Harrison took off his glasses and stared at the ground.

"Do you know what this means?" Barry asked, excited. "It means I can go back in time and save my mother."

"Do you know how you were able to get to Atlantis?"

"No, I was just running."

"And I assume you did the same in order to return?" Harrison was staring at him, intently.

"No, I don't know how I got back," Barry said, "but I'm sure you can figure it out."

"Barry," Harrison began, "you know I would do anything and everything in my power to help you, so I must ask you not to tell anybody else about this."

"Why not? It's not as if I was in Central city."

"We can't be sure how your trip through will affect events here," Harrison replied, "so be very careful."

"Fine."

"So, Mr. Allen, now tell me everything and I mean everything."

000

Ariadne was staring at the ground stunned. She couldn't believe what had happened, one minute she was sure that Medea's blade would kill her or at the very least wound her badly and the next Barry was bleeding out infront of her and then he'd disappeared.

Right before her eyes.

Jason had seen Barry take the knife that had intended for Ariadne and he couldn't believe it. One minute the young man was bleeding infront of them, the next he had disappeared into thin air.

"We have to get out of here," Dion said, he was coming from the other side and he hadn't seen what had transpired. "The army is retreating and we should leave before they change their minds and return."

000

"Did you see that? Of course you saw it."

Jason, Hercules, Pythagoras and Ariadne were riding back to Atlantis.

"He just disappeared." Pythagoras repeated.

"Where did he come from?" Ariadne asked them. "Who was he really?"

Hercules shook his head. "I thought there was something strange about him."

"You say that about everybody," Pythagoras reminded him.

"And I'm right, aren't I?"

"He saved my life."

"And that makes one of the best people I've ever met," Jason concluded.

They rode in silence each of them not sure how to voice what they were really thinking. That somehow Barry Allen had been sent to save Ariadne's life and to help them.

000

"Barry, there you are, I was so worried."

Barry smiled at Iris. "I'm fine, as you can see."

"Where have you been? I've been looking for you for two hours; I came by your office and you weren't here." She was looking him up and down, assuring herself that he was really fine.

"I must have misplaced my phone."

"Okay." Iris let that pass.

"So, what's up?"

"Are you sure you're fine? You seem a bit weird, even for you."

"I'm fine, Iris."

She nodded. There were so many things she wanted to tell Barry but she didn't know where to begin. He had confessed his love for her and from that moment Iris hadn't been able to stop thinking about him. She was confused and the person she needed to help her get over her confusion was the person causing it. She didn't know what to do.

"Was there anything else you wanted?" Barry knew he was being rude but he needed to be away from Iris.

"Nope," she forced a smile, and made her way to the door.

000

Barry paced around the office. He had so many questions and although he and Dr. Wells had gone over everything that he happened, especially every detail of the fight he'd been involved in just before he'd returned, Barry was no closer to understanding how he'd been able to travel to Atlantis and back.

Absently he got his phone from his pocket and stared at it. There was a message for the Flash, _can we meet?_ that had been sent an hour ago.

Barry stared at his phone in shock and made his way to S.T.A.R Labs. He found Cisco alone in the office.

"What time did I appear back here?"

Cisco checked the computer and told him, down to the last second. "It was weird, not you suddenly appearing in the room, of course. But what happened before you did, I was working and then there was an energy surge and the machines were all humming and you suddenly appeared in the room and everything became normal again."

Barry looked at his phone again and smiled to himself. Of course, somehow or other Iris had been able to bring him back home.

000


End file.
